Parent Tips - Week 17

You might have read about a growth mindset versus a fixed mindset. When mentioned in a math context, the common question is: Can everyone learn math or are some people “just good at it”? Recent research shows that a student with a growth mindset is a flexible learner. Even students who don’t appear to have strong skills in an area can become very proficient if they can develop a growth mindset towards a topic. A student with a growth mindset (GM) will take on challenges, learn from mistakes, accept feedback and criticism, practice and apply strategies to accomplish goals, persevere, ask questions, and take risks. As a result, they reach ever-higher levels of achievement. A student with a fixed mindset (FM) won’t. The FM learner thinks that our character, intelligence, and creative ability can’t be changed in any meaningful way. As a result, the FM learner may plateau early and achieve less than their full potential. There is a mixed mindset where a student is working from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset. Observe your child to see what mindset characteristics he or she exhibits. For more information about this, go to www.mindsetworks.com. Carol Dweck, a professor at Stanford University, says that we are in charge of our own growth. We can change our mindset and reach our potential. Another source of information about growth mindset can be found at Carol Dweck - Mindset